The story of the Assassins and the Templars has truly become a tale that will go down as one of the most iconic conflicts in gaming history, with each game in the beloved Assassin's Creed series expanding upon both factions and enriching the world and the lore that fans adore so much about these games.
With such an epic backdrop, it means that there have inevitably been some incredible moments in the games which stood out for being visually stunning, emotional, and most of all, memorable. While each Assassin's Creed fan will have their own personal favorite game and character, there are a few moments which much of the fanbase would agree took the story of Assassin's Creed to a whole new level, showing just how epic it could be when it wanted to. Whether it's acquiring a brand-new tool, witnessing the death of a good friend, or dawning the Assassin robes for the very first time, there's certainly no shortage of scenes from the Assassin's Creed franchise that manage to remain in the player's head long after they have put down the controller.
9 Desmond's Leap Of Faith
After Assassin's Creed Revelations expanded the lore at the end of the game and placed a bigger focus on the modern-day context of the story, Assassin's Creed III therefore put players in the shoes of Desmond a lot more than the previous games, and while these segments can sometimes feel a little stale compared to gameplay in the Animus, this was certainly a moment that had all fans at the edge of their seat.
After climbing up a giant crane situated at the top of a skyscraper, Desmond performs a leap of faith before releasing a parachute to gently sail to the helipad opposite. While Desmond might not be the most captivating protagonist, pulling this stunt off was certainly one of his most impressive feats, and a real spectacle for fans.
8 Bar Fight
Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag is often praised as one of the best modern entries in the series, and a big reason for this was because of just how well Ubisoft managed to capture the feeling of being a pirate, with all the ships and jingles to go along with it.
Near the beginning of the game after Edward enters a bar, he starts getting into a quarrel with some Englishman who seems to recognize his face, and it isn't long before a bloody brawl breaks out, acting as a combat tutorial for the player. With a shanty tune playing in the background, and plenty of bodies being thrown through tables, this was a fantastic way to introduced players to the hectic, and often violent life of a pirate.
7 Shay Betrays The Assassins
Any fan of the Assassin's Creed series really owes it to themselves to play Assassin's Creed Rogue since the game does so much to expand the lore of the games, letting the player control a Templar rather than an Assassin this time around, and highlighting many of the heinous acts committed by the Assassins which we don't see in previous games.
The real turning point comes when Shay decides to steal a manuscript from his "brothers" after learning that his old friend Achilles is planning to continue his search for the Precursor Artifacts, which had already killed many innocents and toppled entire cities. This moment was the turning point for Shay in his adventure, and was the first time fans got to see that the Assassins might not be as wholehearted as they claim to be.
6 Escaping The Bastille
After managing to escape from the Bastille with the help of a mysterious stranger, Arno reaches the top of the prison only to be told that he should seek out a group called the Assassins and that he would make a great fit. Bewildered and confused, Arno decides to take the man upon on his offer, but not before performing a leap of faith off the top of the historical prison.
The game then pans the camera over to the raging crowds of Paris, giving us a clear view of the rumblings of the French Revolution, and just how big it actually was in its scale and ferocity.
5 Racing Federico
As part of the tutorial in Assassin's Creed II, Ezio must race his brother Federico to the top of a church, with the whole section perfectly encapsulating just how competitive the siblings can be, but also how much they care and rely on one another.
Once they reach the very top accompanied by the incredible soundtrack composed by Jesper Kyd, the two reminisce on their lives and how luck they are to be in their positions, with Ezio hoping that it would never change, prompting Federico to reply with the now iconic line "and may it never change us".
4 Connor Killing Haytham
The hatred and disdain shared between Connor and Haytham is the driving force for much of the story in Assassin's Creed III, to the point where the only thing Connor wants to do by the end of the game is to get his hands on the man who seemingly took everything from him, resulting in an extremely satisfying final fight where Hathway receives a hidden blade through the neck.
What makes this scene so intriguing though is that there have been many theories by fans that suggest Haytham was really looking for Connor to kill him here since he secretly couldn't bring himself to ruing the Templars plans. This is actually all but confirmed in the book Assassin's Creed Forsaken which makes this scene even more special.
3 Desmond's Sacrifice
Despite being described as somewhat of a MacGuffin who's only real purpose was to move the story forward, Desmond started to become much more developed and layered as a character over the course of the games, especially in Assassin's Creed III where fans meet his father.
It came as a huge surprise therefore when, in an attempt to release Juno and deploy a protective shield around the Earth, Desmond decided to activate the Pedestal at the very end of Assassin's Creed III, sacrificing his own life in the process. No fan could have seen this death coming, and for many players, it even brought into question where the series could go next now that the man who made all the time traveling escapades possible in the first place was gone.
2 Ezio Collects His Robes
After his father and brothers are imprisoned for a false conspiracy held against them, Ezio is ordered by his captive father to retrieve the contents of a chest which is hidden away behind a secret wall in his study. Along with a few documents and a sword, Ezio also retrieves the Assassin robes which he will wear for the rest of his games.
The triumphant music playing in the background and the desperation Ezio feels at that moment of the story makes this a truly unforgettable moment that worked so well because the game allowed players to use Ezio as a teenager beforehand to build up to this moment, making it truly feel like he was stepping into the world of the Assassins for the very first time.
1 Ezio Talks To Desmond
Despite the ancestral connection shared between the Assassins of the past and Desmond, because of the time difference, none of the Assassins should have been able to interact with Desmond, that is until Ezio speaks to Desmond near the end of Assassin's Creed Revelations when approaching the Apple of Eden.
Deciding to leave the artifact where it is, Ezio consoles in Desmond, saying how he had tried to find purpose in his life, and that after all this, he was simply a conduit for a message. As he hopes Desmond can find the answers to the many questions left behind, Ezio removes his hidden blades and sword, dropping them to the ground and officially leaving the Brotherhood, marking the end of one of the greatest character arcs in gaming history.